Airline operators in the country must refund the full cost of travel tickets to passengers after a two-hour delay, the Federal Government has declared.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made this known yesterday, after the weekly State House Briefing in Aso Villa, Abuja.
He read some of the rights of aviation passengers at the briefing and charged them to demand their rights whenever they are being trampled upon by airlines.
On domestic flights, for any delay beyond one hour, the carrier should provide refreshment and one telephone call, or one SMS, or one e-mail. They should be able to send an SMS or email or call to say, I am sorry, I am going to be delayed for one hour.
For any delay for two hours and beyond, the carrier shall reimburse passengers the full volume of their tickets. For delays between 10 p.m and 4 a.m, the carrier shall provide hotel accommodation, refreshment, meal, two free calls, SMS, e-mail and transport to-and-fro airport, Sirika said, adding that the same rules apply for international flights.
The minister, who said his ministry has started sanctioning some airlines who default on consumer rights, however urged passengers not to be unruly at airports.
